Over 100,000 in Sheema to benefit from new water project

PIC: Sheema district chairman David Kabigumira hands over the contract certificates to Johnson Lin, the Anhui-Sijian, the contractors as ministers Kamuntu and Tumwesigye look on (Aloysius Byamukama)

SHEEMA - Over 100,000 residents in the sub-counties of Shuuku and Kyangyenyi in Sheema district are set to benefit from the Shuuku/Matsyoro clean water project.

However, according to Ian Arebahona, the contract manager at the water ministry, only the homesteads with proper sanitation facilities such as toilets, will access this water, while those without toilets will not have taps extended to their homes.

The sh11b project funded by the Government and the African Development Bank (AfDB), was launched on Tuesday at the district headquarters, with the signing and handover of contractual guidelines to the contractors.

The local leaders later visited the two water sources, where the two  pumping tanks will be set up.

Among those who witnessed the ground breaking ceremony were tourism minister Ephraim Kamuntu, science and technology minster Elioda Tumwesigye and Sheema resident district commissioner Willy Turyamubona.

Others in attendance were, Sheema district chairman David Kabigumira; Johnson Lin, the commercial manager of Anhui Sijian Holdings Group; contractors of the project and engineers from the environment ministry, led by Arebahona, .

According to the project plan, there will be two water sources, one at Matsyoro in Sheema north and another at Kyabwera swamp in Shuuku sub-county in Sheema south, where supply tanks will be set up to distribute water to the rest of the areas.

While speaking at the launching ceremony, Kamuntu called on residents to embrace the project and allow it to go on through their properties, before demanding compensation.

"The local people are the beneficies of this project and, therefore,  they should allow it to commence without incumberances. The Government will come in with compensation after the chief government valuer has done his work," Kamuntu said.

There was resentment from the residents in Kyangyeyi, who insisted that they want their compensation before the project starts.

Kamuntu, however, notified the residents  that there were amendments in the compensation assessment under land acquisition, that now the Government can use the residents' land to erect a government project and compensation comes later.

According to the Land Acquisition Act CAP 227, the Minister of Lands is given mandate to acquire land compulsorily where the landowner or occupier is not willing to sell by agreement to authorised bodies, with the chief government  valuer  coming in later to advise the Government on compensation amount.

Kamuntu also called on the residents to be vigilant by reporting shoddy work to the concerned authorities and also co-operate with the contractors to enable the project be completed in the stipulated time of 18 months.

Tumwesigye said the project is one of the many government's projects aimed at extending clean water and electricity, amoung others, to all households in the country.

He called on all residents to plant trees and conserve the environment to avoid severe water shortage in future.

This Shuuku/Matsyoro water project is a pledge that was made by President Yoweri Museveni while attending a thanksgiving function in Sheema in 2009.